Legal dispute after 'Beckham of the Baize' snooker ace cuts father out of his will

By ANDREW CHAPMAN

Last updated at 22:23 27 October 2007

The heartbroken father of snooker superstar Paul Hunter is facing a legal dispute after his son cut him out of his will just days before losing his battle against cancer a year ago.

Sources suggest Alan Hunter intends to contest his removal from the document in a codicil added by Paul on his deathbed, which also reduced his mother Krystina and sister Leanne's bequests from £50,000 to £30,000, leaving the remainder of the estate to his widow Lindsey.

The codicil also states that Paul's manager, Brandon Parker, 43, who is an executor of the will, was a witness to the change along with his wife, Charlotte, 37.

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Three times Masters snooker champion Paul, who died aged 27, also curiously stated that his father Alan would have 'no ownership of the car' and that the changes were being made after a business meeting at his home.

Sources within the snooker world also claim that a rift could be growing between Paul's parents and his widow Lindsey, 31, with the possibility

that they might be prevented from seeing Evie Rose, the granddaughter they dote on, who will be two on Boxing Day.

The codicil, signed by Paul Hunter, is dated September 22, 2006. A typed section at the top reads: 'To the executers of my will: Mr B. Parker (my manager) and Catherine Shanley (my solicitor).

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'Following a business meeting at my house on the above date, I have decided to make changes to the first will that I signed last year.

'Those changes are handwritten and signed below by myself as proof of authenticity, and in the presence of Brandon's wife as a witness.'

The following then appears in capital letters in Paul's handwriting: 'My father Alan is no longer in the will with no ownership of the car.

'Leanne and my mother Krystina's inheritance drops to £30,000 each from £50,000. Any remaining inheritance not specified goes to my wife.'

At the bottom of the codicil is Paul's signature, the date and the signatures of the two witnesses – Mr Parker and his wife Charlotte.

Mr Parker confirmed the dispute over the will but would only say: 'The matter is in the hands of solicitors. There may or may not be a court hearing, and at this moment I am not in a position to make any comment.'

Paul Hunter's meteoric rise to world No4 earned him more than £1.5million in prize money and hundreds of thousands of pounds in sponsorship deals. He was dubbed the Beckham of the Baize for his good looks and long, blond locks, held off his face by an Alice band when playing at the table.

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At the former council house in Leeds where Paul was born and which Alan and Krystina now own, they would not discuss the contesting of the will. Alan, a roofer, who read the main tribute to Paul at his funeral last October, said: 'We cannot make any comment about this matter at all at this stage. You will have to speak to our solicitor.'

Paul's mother Krystina, a receptionist, added: 'It is just a year ago since we lost Paul and I love him and I miss him so much. He was my baby. Losing Paul was the hardest thing I have ever had to bear.'

Neither Mr nor Mrs Hunter would discuss the question of a rift between themselves and Paul's widow Lindsey but they dismissed the suggestion that they might

be prevented from seeing their granddaughter. Mrs Hunter said: 'It's not really like that, we are seeing Evie this weekend.'

Paul had been on chemotherapy in the months leading up to his death in a bid to fight the malignant neuroendocrine tumours in his body. He died on October 9, 2006.

At her home in Batley, West Yorks, Lindsey was not available for comment.